Retractile adjustable safety razor

ABSTRACT

THE PRESENT SAFETY RAZOR USES AN ORDINARY, CONVENTIONAL RAZOR BLADE WHICH IS REMOVABLY MOUNTED ON A HOLDER THAT IS CARRIED BY A CASE HAVING A SLOT THROUGH WHICH THE BLADE EDGE EXTENDS WHEN A SPRING MOUNTED PORTION OF THE CASE IS PRESSED BY THE HAND. THIS IS EASILY DONE BY A BARBER WHO HOLDS THE CASE IN THE HAND SIMILAR TO A STRAIGHT RAZOR AND SQUEEZES THE CASE TO EXPOSE THE BLADE FOR CUTTING. THE BLADE IS EASILY REMOVED FROM THE HOLDER FOR REPLACEMENT AND ALSO MAY BE CONTROLLED BY HAND AS TO THE AMOUNT OF EDGE WHICH IS EXTENDED. OPTIONALLY THERE IS A REMOVABLE PLASTIC BLADE GUARD WITH SPACES FOR HAIRCUTTING AND TRIMMING.

Jan. 26, 1971 B. e. SHEAD RETRACTILE AND ADJUSTABLE SAFETY RAZOR Filed June 10. 1968 R w fi m W .Boaay 6 SHE/I0 United States Patent O ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present safety razor uses an ordinary, conventional razor blade which is removably mounted on a holder that is carried by a case having a slot through which the blade edge extends when a spring mounted por tion of the case is pressed by the hand. This is easily done by a barber who holds the case in the hand similar to a straight razor and squeezes the case to exposethe blade. for cutting. The blade is easily removed from the holder for replacement and also may be controlled by hand as to the amount of edge which is extended. Optionally there is a removable plastic blade guard with spaces for haircutting and trimming.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1) Classification (2) State of the art The following prior art is included: 1,216,381; 3,002,- 273; 3,052,977.

Safety razors are well known but cannot be manipulated satisfactorily by barbers and hair cutters for trim work and for giving what is generally known as razor cuts. Straight razors are normally used for this purpose but are not easy to handle even by experienced barbers and frequently become dull and must be resharpened on a strap or hone. Also, the art of straightrazoring is not being practiced as much as formerly and fewer barbers are learning this technique partly because shaving faces in barbershops is infrequent in usual dayto-dav work. On the other hand, very good stainless steel safety razor blades with coated edges are now on the market at a reasonable cost compared with the time involved in keeping-up a straight razor and in quantity it would be better from cost standpoint and results to use these for razor cuts and trimming. However, there are no known holders suitable for retaining these blades and offering a tool that a barber could use. The present razor provides a good implement or tool for the barber to work with and also uses a standard razor blade that can be removed and replaced and which is safely housed in use) and in non-use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent upon reading the following Patented Jan. 26, 1971 specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is aperspective view of my invention held in the hand.

FIG. 2 is an assembly view in perspective.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 33 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 4-4 in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The razor is referred to herein generally by reference number 10 and comprises a handle means including a handle 12 which is held in the hand 14 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. This position in the hand 14 is similar in many respects to that used in holding a straight razor.

Handle 12 is part of a housing or case means for an ordinary safety razor blade 16 and which housing or case means comprises a normally stationary outer housing 18 which may be made from brass sheet metal or plastic or the like in the form of an open channel with opposite sides 20, 22 held together against substantial movement by a top transverse plate 24 with side tabs 26 brazed or otherwise attached (or molded integrally in plastic) and the bottom plate and closure member 28 which is a small plate also soldered, brazed or otherwise attached. The edge of housing 18 has a razor blade slot or opening 30 therein through which one edge 32 of blade 16 is extended and retracted. A pair of opposed slots or grooves 36 in respective sides 20, 22 act as guide means and retaining means for the other part or inner housing 40 of the housing means now to be described.

Inner housing 40 actually has part thereof extending outside to be pressed by the hand 14 but part of it does extend inside outer housing 18 for movement therein. Small projecting lugs or pins 42 are fitted into respective slots 36 and move therein and act as a guide means or a positioning means for the inner housing 40 which carries with it the blade 16 removably and replaceably mounted on a blade support means designated generally by numeral 46 and comprising an elongated shaft 48 having a spring razor blade holder means 50 comprising a pair of curved, flat springs 52 acting against a flat plate 54 on which is a center blade positioning and retaining member 56 that extends through the slot found in the middle of a double edge blade 16. A curved spring wire member 60 is mounted inside outer housing 18 to be contacted by shaft 48. Inside inner housing 40 is a spacer or filler member 62 which makes the proper space between it and tabs 64 on inner housing 40 to confine the shaft 48 which also has notches 66 therein. The tip 70 of shaft 48 protrudes from the bottom end of outer housing 18 and is held in place by member 28 which prevents detachment of the outer housing 18 and the inner housing 40. Shaft 48 is inserted from the end which has slot 30 and plate 24 downwardly inside inner housing 40 until one side of notch 66 strikes member 28. Shaft 48 is removed in reverse from the insertion described previously but need not be removed completely since removal to the extent shown in FIG. 2 is enough to change blades 16, or to switch the blade 16 from one edge to the other by flipping it over.

In the operation, the barber or other person holds the razor in the hand 14 in the manner shown in FIG. 1 and brings the edge and exposes it through opening 30 by squeezing housing 40 against spring 60 which can be timed to correspond with the alignment of the blade edge on the hair line or the like thereby preventing accidental nicking of either the customer or the barber. A comb guard cover has comb openings 82.

H av h iz n nd desc e apa t cuh w bodiment of my invention with suggested operation, this is by way of illustration onlyand does not constitute any sort of limitation on my invention since alterations,

changes, amendments, revisions, substitutions, omissions, additions, and other departures may be made in the form shown without departing from the scope of my invention as defined by interpretation of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a razor:

(a) a handle,

(b) a razor blade having a cutting edge normally retracted in said handle near one end,

(c) means operable by an operator holding the handle for exposing the edge into cutting position,

((1) said handle having a housing at one end in which said blade is retracted and said blade being mounted on a support means that moves said blade through a slot in said housing.

2. The razor in claim 1:

(e) and spring means resisting the movement of the blade .into exposed positions and biasing same into retracted position when the operator releases same.

3. The razor in claim 1, wherein there is a means on said handle for removably holding said razor blade.

4. The razor in claim 1, wherein: said support for said I bladewhas awblade. holder. means. thereon which is re.- movable from and re-insertable into said handle.

5. The razor in claim 1, wherein said blade is operated through a slot in said handle which is long enough to accommodate the cutting edge of the blade, the handle portion about said slot providing a safety shield or guard for said blade edge when not in use.

6. The razorrin claim 5: said handle having a portion swingable thereon and movable by the hand, said blade being mounted in said swingable handle portion.

7. The razor in claim 6: the handle comprising two separate housings having relative motion therebetween, one of said housings being the portion swingable and the other having the razor slot therein.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,175,023 3/1916 Szabo 3030 2,209,751 7/1940 WuliT 302UX 3,002,273 10/1961 Merritt 32 ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Primary Examiner G, F. GRAFEL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 305 3 

